THE Kuala Lumpur High Court today ordered Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor to pay RM67.5 million to a Lebanese jewellery company, Global Royalty Trading SAL, over the loss of 43 pieces of jewellery that occurred eight years ago.
The decision was made by Judge Datuk Quay Chew Soon, after the court found that the wife of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was responsible for failing to return the jewellery collection to the company.
In the judgment delivered online, the court ruled that the plaintiffs had successfully proven their case and were entitled to receive the damages as claimed.
The judge also held that there was an element of negligence on Rosmah's part for failing to ensure that all the jewellery received was returned to its original owner.
In this regard, Rosmah was ordered to settle the RM67.5 million payment to Global Royalty Trading SAL within a month, starting today.
The court also ordered her to pay legal costs of RM150,000, with RM75,000 awarded to the plaintiff and the remaining RM75,000 to a third party in the proceedings.
The suit stemmed from allegations that 44 pieces of luxury jewellery sent to Rosmah for viewing and appraisal purposes were not returned to the company.
In March 2023, Global Royalty filed a lawsuit alleging that Rosmah had given the impression that all the jewellery had been seized by Malaysian authorities under the provisions of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
The jewellery in dispute included various luxury accessories, including a diamond necklace, earrings, rings, bracelets and a tiara.
However, the Beirut-based company claimed that only one of the 44 pieces of jewellery was in the custody of the authorities, while the remaining 43 were never under police control.
According to the plaintiff, the circumstances show that the loss of the jewellery involved cannot be attributed to the authorities as alleged by Rosmah.
Global Royalty also argued that Rosmah was trying to place responsibility for the loss on the Malaysian Government, even though the items were allegedly lost.
In the same proceedings, the Inspector-General of Police and the Malaysian Government were named as third parties following allegations that the jewellery may be related to enforcement operations conducted after the 14th General Election.
Rosmah, however, maintained her stance that she was not responsible for the loss of the 43 pieces of jewellery, claiming that they all disappeared after a series of police raids were carried out at Pavilion Residences in May 2018, when investigations into the 1MDB scandal were underway. – June 10, 2026